Tarique Rahman To Return To Bangladesh After 17 Years, Why It’s Good News For India
Dhaka : For 17 years, his face appeared on Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) posters in Dhaka and beyond. But his voice was unheard. Tarique Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and once seen as the “dark prince” of Bangladesh politics, ended his self-imposed exile and returned to Dhaka after nearly two decades. Rahman’s return holds much significance, especially with the pro-India Awami League barred from contesting the elections and Zia hospitalised.
It comes at a time when Bangladesh is at a crossroads, with radical Islamists running amok and spewing anti-India hate under interim chief Muhammad Yunus. Of particular concern for India is the Jamaat-e-Islami, widely seen as a stooge of Pakistan’s ISI. The Jamaat, which was banned by the previous Sheikh Haisna regime, has gnawed its way back into politics after her ouster last year. In fact, a recent opinion poll has shown that while Rahman’s party was likely to win the maximum seats in the elections, the Jamaat, once BNP’s ally, is snapping at its heels. What has raised India’s hackles is the surprising victory of the Jamaat’s student wing in the Dhaka University polls.
New Delhi will hope that Rahman’s return galvanises the BNP workers and the party forms the next government. Moreover, the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP), another player in the polls, has alleged that the BNP was inducting Awami League members. Under Hasina, Bangladesh cultivated close ties with India and walked a tightrope when it came to China. Hasina maintained a safe distance from Pakistan. The situation has taken a U-turn under Yunus, who has pushed for closer ties with Pakistan at the cost of distancing Bangladesh from India.
Not Dilli, Not Pindi, Bangladesh before everything,” Rahman had said, making it clear that the BNP would not seek closer ties with Rawalpindi or Delhi. Rahman, who has positioned himself and the BNP as a champion of democracy, arrived in Dhaka with much fanfare. Around 50 lakh party workers joined Rahman for a roadshow from the airport to his residence. Rahman is likely to be fielded from the Bogura-6 (Sadar) seat, while BNP chairperson Zia will again contest from her bastion – Bogura-7 (Gabtali-Shajahanpur) constituency.
Rahman, the son of former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman, has lived in London since 2008 and has led the BNP from abroad. During the Sheikh Hasina regime, he was convicted in several cases. The BNP claimed those were politically motivated. He was arrested in 2007 in a corruption case. In custody, he suffered from serious health issues amid allegations of torture. The next year, Rahman secured bail and got court permission to fly to London for medical treatment. He has lived there since then.